Dawn of the Protectors
by LithiumEyes
Summary: Harry is sent to America, in an attempt to give him a break from Voldie. But magic is in the form of three animals, who want him to join them or find their last brethren. What will he choose?
1. Default Chapter

**me:** hullo ppl! Candy cane highness is fun!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

**VampGirl:** WTF? Who gave her candy canes?!

**CJ:** ;;Hides candy canes behind his back;; Fred! Bad alien!

**Fred:** T-T

**CJ:** And I am in this one! Do the happy dance!

**VampGirl:** Me too! Yay!

**me:** Wheeee! I do not own Harry Potter!

**SAYING OF THE DAY:** Beaware! Stupid people are Breeding!  
O.O

The boy with the scruffy, black hair, tapped his fingers along his trunk. Harry Potter had been waiting for twenty minutes for his exchange family. Dumbledore had signed him up for the project, hoping to give the boy a break from Voldemort. Harry didn't think so highly of the idea. America? And some state that wasn't even well known? He could have been, at least, shipped to California or New York.

"Hey! You the exchange kid from England?" a voice said, out of breath. Harry turned to a girl with dark brown hair. She had grey-blue eyes and was a few inches taller then him.

"Yeah. My name is Harry. Harry Potter." he replied, waiting for the usual gasp. She just smiled.

"I'm Vicki Atwood. Nice to meet you. Here. Let me help you with your stuff." the girl said, taking one of Harry's trunks. Harry blinked and then grabbed the rest of his stuff.

A woman with coke bottle glasses and a man with balding brown hair rushed forward.

"Hello. I am Bob and this is my wife, Susan. You will be staying with us." The man said, shaking Harry's hand.

"Can we go home yet, dad? I need to see if Maggie E-mailed me yet." vicki said. She was tugging at her shoulder length hair and digging her toe into the airport tiles.

"We are seeing that your brother gets on the plane, safetly." Susan said, her voice slightlty annoyed.

"I'm going to the van." Vicki growled. She picked up Harry's trunk and made a signal that harry follow. The boy picked up his things and followed the tall brunette.

"Sorry if I seem rude, but I am 14 and don't like being seen with my parents. It is just a teen thing." Vicki apoligized. She exited the airport and walked to a big, grey, conversion van. She opened the back dorrs and swung Harry's trunk up inside. She did the same with the other.

Vicki then opened a side door and hopped inside.

"Like rock?" she asked.

"Uhh. I guess." Harry replied. Vicki shrugged and switched on the radio on. Hard metal blared out. Harry winced, not prepared for the intensity.

"I'VE TOLD YOU THIS ONCE BEFORE, CAN'T CONTROL ME IF YOU TRY TO TAKE ME DOWN YOU'RE GONNA BREAK I FEEL YOU'RE EVERY NOTHING THAT YOU'RE DOING FOR ME I'M THINKING YOU OUTTA MAKE YOUR OWN WAY I STAND ALONE!" Vicki sang out, headbanging with the music.

"What is this?" Harry asked.

"Godsmack. Not my favorite band, but they are awesome. Let me play Disturbed. They are the best." the brunette laughed, putting a black Cd into the player. Intense guitar and bass thumped loudly. The singer began screaming and Harry raised an eyebrow at Vicki, seeing if she really liked this stuff. She did. She bopped her head up and down with the beat.

"How can you listen to this stuff?" Harry asked.

"Rock is part of me. I'd rather listen to it then face the real world. A lot of the songs are how the singers hate everyone and everything. that is how I feel so much. Sometimes I kinda want to die. But then I think of how much I love my friends and I am happy." Vicki laughed. She grinned like she had just told a funny joke. Harry shivered and stared out his window.

Even though America and England were only an ocean away, things were much different.  
XD

That night, Harry lay in the bed he had been lent. He couldn't sleep at all. He slipped out of bed and creeped down the hall. He, gently, opened the front door and slipped out. The warm night held and slight breeze and harry shivered.

Golden eyes stared from nearby bushes. A low growl rumbled, softly. A black panther slipped from it's cover into the light of a street lamp. Harry gasped. A caw made him turn to look at a raven. The bird flapped it's blue-black wings.

A bark called to Harry. A lab-like dog padded forward. It's deep brown eyes stared at the boy. All three animals called out to him. He realized they were, almost, telling him to return inside.

Harry turned and fled into the house. After he had shut the door, he peered out the window. A dementor was floating down the street. All three animals attacked it. The cat and dog, snapping at it's lower body. The raven stratched at it's 'face'. The dementor screeched and floated away as fast as it could.

Harry opened the door, slowly. He stepped outside and checked to see if the dementor had truely left. It was gone. The lab bounded towards him. It wagged his tail and jumped up on Harry.

The panther yowled and knocked the dog aside. It flicked it's long tail before disappearing into the night. The raven flapped it's wings and flew away. The dog barked and ran away, leaving Harry confused.

Harry stared at where the three creatures had vanished. He shivered and returned to his room. He laid in bed and felt, surprisngly calm. His encounter had cleared away some of his doubts. He felt good knowing their was magic here, even if it was from evil creatures.

And what was with the animals? They had appeared out of no where. They then saved him. He wasn't allowed to use any sort of magic while in America. If he had faced the dementor, he wouldn't have lasted. His wand resided at the bottom of his trunk, in case of emergency.

His door creeked open and the panther slipped into the room. It sat in the middle of the floor and flicked it's tail. Harry slid out of bed and crept towards the giant cat. It began purring like a lawnmower. It bumped against his outstreched hand. It's golden eyes stared deep into his own. Harry understood.

The three animals searched for their final brethern. They were meant to defend innocents against evil. That is why they seemed so human. They were created to know good from evil.

The cat yowled and fled the room. Harry followed, but the cat had vanished. He sighed. Now there were questions unanswered. Why was it that the one place in the world he went to, magic was flourishing in a way that he had never heard of? Fate seemed to have a sense of humor.  
BD

Harry walked with Vicki up a sloped path that led to high school. He caught sight of the building and raised and eyebrow. There were two different buildings made of brick. The school seemed like a place of buisness, instead of a learning center.

"Here we are. School sweet school. Alright. I'm going to meet my friends. You can come if you want to." Vicki said.

"Sure." Harry replied. After all, he had no clue where he was going.

Vicki led him to the cafeteria, packed with students, all laughing and joking with each other. A short girl with long, curly, purple-red hair ran up and hugged Vicki.

"Harry, this is my best friend, Maggie Fournier. Maggie, meet Harry Potter." the tall brunette said, a huge grin on her face.

"Hey! I thought I was your best friend!" a voice said. Harry turned to see a boy with brown hair cut in a similar fasion to his own. He had on glasses and a grey sweatshirt.

"Your my best guy friend, CJ." Vicki said, rolling her eyes.

"Oh well." CJ turned and left.

"What the-" Harry said.

"Yeah, you might want to watch out for Dogbreath." Maggie said, sarcasim in her voice.

"Dogbreath?"

"Friendly nickname. I'm Scaredy cat and Maggie is Bird brain." Vicki said, laughing, "Or moose, according to my friend who moved and is now a preppy bitch who is trying out for cheerleading and has stopped calling me."

"O...K. What time does school start?" Harry asked.

"7:45 on the dot. We leave this hell hole at 2:45. But today is going to be boring because it is the first day and we, the freshmen will be all that is occupyibng this hell with flouresent lights." Maggie grinned. She flipped her long purple-red hair over her shoulder and left for class.

Vicki grinned. "You'll get used to it. Every student in this building has a screwed up sense of humor. We find people tripping down the tower steps hilarious. Maybe someone will throw a chair down the stairs. Some one did last year. I hear it was a laugh riot. Teachers hated it, but everyone thought it was funny as hell."

Harry had a feeling that this was a year to remember.  
T-T

**me:** So how was that? Got some action in there and I feel happy as a lark.

**VampGirl:** Yay! I am a badass! And my hair is more red now. I am not short.

**me:** Compared to me, you are.

**CJ:** She got you there!

**Fred:**He dropped you off, I followed him home Then I, I stood outside his bedroom window Standing over him, he begged me not to do What I knew I had to do cause I'm so in love with you

Oh, my love Please don't cry I'll wash my bloody hands and We'll start a new life I don't know much at all I don't know wrong from right All I know is that I love you tonight Tonight **_(My Bloody Valentine-Good Charlotte)_**


	2. Chapter 2

Me: Hiya people!

VampGirl: You are really nuts, you know that?

CJ: ::Sigh:: She is getting worse then me. That is something I thought I would never say. The student has passed the teacher.

Me: How did you know I passed my fifth grade teacher on route 103?

CJ: o.o'

VampGirl: I am surrounded by idiots.

Fred: And on my grave  
What will it say?  
Here lies another soul that was saved  
So please don't cry  
Just sleep at night  
And I will wait on the other side  
(Good Charlotte-Meet my Maker)

**Disclaimer:** Yippidie doo daa, I own nadda!

**Saying of the Day:** Live, Freeze or die

---

Harry crept from the house, praying no one would catch him. In his right hand, he clutched his wand. He silently hoped that he ran into the animals again. He felt attracted to them, as if he was meant to be with them(-hint hint-).

"Ok. This is nuts. I am sneaking out in the middle of the night, looking for a couple of rogue animals. Great Harry, just get your ass sent back to England the third day you are in America." he growled under his breath.

Harry heard a faint barking. His head snapped up to see the big lab bounding to him. It was wagging its tail about a million miles and hour.

"Easy." Harry said, petting the dog.

"Ignore him and go back to wear you come from. It is not safe for people like you to wander the streets at night." a sharp voice said. A small, cloaked figure walked forward. Harry couldn't see the person's face because they wore a mask that resembled a crow or raven.

"Who are you?" he asked, gripping his wand.

"We are those banished into the night, destined to forever only have each other." Another cloaked person said, but this one had a cat mask.

The dog barked and changed, becoming a black swirl of cloth and a mask like a dog. He spoke, not to Harry, but to the others.

"He has the light in him. He is one of us."

"You are dreaming Dog breath." the first person said.

Something clicked. Harry remembered when Maggie and Vicki told him to call CJ Dog breath. Could this animagus be CJ?

"It is true. My canine side smells it as clear as day. You two don't have the sharp senses I have. He is the last point in our circle." 'Dog breath' said. He turned and pulled off his mask to reveal that he was indeed CJ.

"Oh my God." Harry whispered.

"Good job, CJ! Just go and show the whole world what we are!" the bird masked one exclaimed. The raven mask was pulled off to reveal Maggie.

"Guess who!" the cat one pulled off her own mask. Vicki.

"So you are witches and a wizard? And animagus'? Geese, I was in the dark." Harry mumbled.

"We are not exactly what you say we are." Vicki started.

"We are The Protectors. We were created to fight the creatures that would hurt innocents. "Maggie continued,

"Our forth member was killed in a fight with a manticore. We think you may be his replacement." CJ said.

"Uh. Whatever." Harry said. He was skeptical, but something inside him told him they were right.

"Only one way to find out."

The three made a circle around Harry. He felt like his soul was being plucked from his body. He found himself in a dark forest. He wasn't afraid because three lights swirled around him, fighting back anything that would hurt him.

A silvery panther, raven and dog formed from the three lights. They resembled patronuses.

_'Run with us.'_ they called before taking off. Harry followed. He felt free and an amazing power flowing through him. He grinned.

_'Picture your patronus.'_

Harry thought of the stag. It appeared in front of him, but he was pushed back by the panther and lab, which both had their teeth bared.

_'This is not your true self. It is a copy of another's. Look deep inside yourself.'_

Harry closed his eyes. Brilliant golden light pulsed through his eyelids, nearly blinding him.

When he reopened his eyes, a silvery lion stood. It's great mane and hide glowed like moonlight in the dark forest.

_'Embrace him as a part of your self.'_

Harry walked forward and touched the lion. Within a second, he was looking out at the three sliver animals. They were practically beaming in pride. He understood at that moment what had happened.

He had become the lion.

Harry opened his eyes and found himself back on the street. He was in his lion form and he longed to run. He roared, stretching his corded muscles. His giant paws flexed.

_'Ready to run, Harry?'_ the panther -Vicki- asked. She was grinning.

_'I was born ready.'_ he laughed, shaking his mane. It felt good. Wait until Ron and Hermione saw this. They were going to flip.

Maggie flapped her wings and took to the air. CJ and Vicki ran on either side of Harry, letting him get used to his new abilities.

Something flickered in the edges of his vision. He pulled back his golden lips and changed direction.

_'Ah. I sense something big. I fly ahead. Wait for my signal.'_ Maggie cawed flying towards the source of the flicking light. Harry padded to a stop.

_'Come quick! Dark magic users!'_ Maggie screeched.

The lion, panther, and dog took off as fast as they would go. Harry recognized the cloaked men instantly.

_'Death Eaters.'_ he hissed to the others. They nodded and walked forward, unafraid. They changed into their cloaked selves, masks restored. Harry willed himself to return human.

When he began changing, instead of his jeans and tee shirt, he wore the cloak and a mask he was sure resembled a lion.

"Hey! No stealing our look, boys!" Maggie growled.

The Death Eaters turned, wearing faces that made chills go down Harry's spine.

"Go home children. There are dangerous people walking at night." one man said, sneering.

"Like us." Harry retorted. He almost laughed at what he said, and the looks on the Death Eaters faces.

"How dare you!" an all too familiar voice drawled. Lucius Malfoy departed from his place inside of the group to leer at the smaller band.

"You really don't want to see our bad side, blondie." Vicki growled.

"The Protectors dislike being picked on." CJ continued.

"We shall have the honor of killing you." Maggie laughed, sweeping into a bow.

"No. Let me. It is my first night. I need practice if I want to survive manticore attacks." Harry said, looking straight into the elder Malfoy's eyes.

"Your voice is familiar. Have we met?" Lucius asked.

"We have indeed, Malfoy." Harry snarled, removing his mask.

"My God..Potter."

Harry changed into a lion. His emerald eyes glaring at Lucius Malfoy. He leapt, landing on a few Death Eater's chests. He growled and swung his giant paw at them. They screamed and ran away, scrambling over their comrads who had fallen under Harry's assault.

_'Not bad for my first time?'_ he said, turning around. His friends grinned, all laughing.

"Not bad at all."

---

Me: Whatcha think? Huh? Tell me dammit!

Thanks to:

**Darthblob-** Well……You're my only reviewer……..Also cause your one of my buds……The rest of you guys suck.

**REVIEW**!!!!!!!! You know you love me!


	3. Chapter 3

Me: Sorry for the long wait people.

VampGirl: Miss lazy ass here had writers block.

CJ: Hey we do have lives you know…though they ain't too great.

Me: Yeah the only place besides my house I have been during vaca is the grocery store.

VampGirl: I went to Pennsylvania!

CJ: You suck.

Fred:_Your will is not your own and your demons we shall find  
Protruding from your soul is the sign of ill stagnation  
We're here to push you out, hear our cries for all salvation_

_We have to stay and fight for our own contempt  
You must not leave it all behind you again_

_(Revolution-Never Say Never)_

Disclaimer: This is so pointless. We all know I don't own because this stuff would be in the books if I was J.K. Rowling, but I'm not so I write on this site.

Saying of the Day: If at first you don't succeed, call in replacements.

* * *

Harry scanned through the many books in the library. American history…He would learn that in class. World Wars I and II…he knew some details but they really didn't interest him. Magical Encyclopedia…interesting.

Harry removed the book and flipped open to the table of contents. Demons, dragons, fairies, griffons. He scanned the list until one name caught his attention and he turned to the correct page number. There in a pencil sketch, was a picture of a group of cloaked people with animal masks. Over the picture read Protectors.

_A clan of shape-shifters, protectors are meant to drive back evil forces and maintain the balance between good and evil. Each protector has a guardian spirit that they take the form of. Whenever there is a repeat animal, that person is the reincarnated form of another protector._

_Protectors usually travel in groups of three or four and in rare cases, five. The only time protectors gather in groups larger than ten is during festivals or celebrations for births or deaths. _

_A person could go through their entire life not knowing that they are a protector. Only when a group of protectors chooses and individual for their bloodline will they receive their powers. Then that person will be taught by their group until they have complete knowledge of their history. _

_Much mystery still shrouds these creatures. If they want to keep a balance, then why do they seek out and destroy dark creatures? Why not also go after good beasts also?_

_Protectors are so well kept from the world that many witches and wizards do not even know they exist, though they most likely have them living among them._

Harry stopped reading. His head was realing with what he had just read. So he had all these powers inside him his whole life and now that he had come here, he was wrapped up in a world he had never known existed. He had to tell the others. He quickly checked out the book (A/N: It really isn't a real encyclopedia though it wound up in that section so he can check it out so there.) and returned to his study hall.

* * *

When Harry returned home with Vicki, Maggie and CJ, he made an opportunity to show his new found friends the book. He did not get the response he had wanted. Vicki laughed. Maggie fell off the bed. CJ pounded his fist against his knee as his body shook in silent laughter.

"These people really have everything screwed up. Our kind really don't give a damn about the whole balance thing. And there aren't any other clans but ours right here. All the others were wiped out years ago when wizards found out about one of our meetings and took the chance to murder over half of our people." CJ explained. His eyes took on a sharp glint and his hands clenched.

"We weren't like them. We used magic but we didn't wave around sticks or make potions. We are creatures of the night who destroy creatures they could never dream of even coming within ten feet of. Our kind is not like them so they must be against us." Vicki continued.

"They came and never gave us a chance to fight back so they killed them. They didn't care who they attacked. Man, woman, child, we were all the same." Maggie snarled. The most violent of the group looked ready to tear apart something.

"You sound as if you were there." Harry comented. How could they be? From the way they described it, the murders had happened hundreds of years ago.

"We were. Protectors age slowly. We were the equivilant of three year old humans." CJ said. He seemed to have calmed down a great deal.

"So am I going to look this age for awhile?" Harry asked.

"I suppose. You are a protector but sometimes reincarnations stray from the clans. That is why some of us never know they have these powers." Vicki said before standing to put a CD in. Harry groaned. One thing about the girls were that they liked heavy metal and could be found head banging quite often. Sure enough, screaming vocals and guitars blasted through the CD player. Both Harry and CJ rolled their eyes.

"Whatever." Maggie laughed before standing beside her friend and beginning to headbang. Harry watched the two before getting a sympathy headache and he left to go to his room. CJ followed. The boy sat down on the bed and shook his head when he realized he could still hear the girl's music.

The door opened a crack and a brown and black tabby slipped into the room. Harry leaned over and scratched the cat behind his ear. Mufasa, as the cat was called, leapt up beside the boys before fixing his golden eyes to the door where a fluffy black cat appeared. The black cat's playful yellow eyes watched his Mufasa.

"Bear." Harry said to the black cat. The creature gave a soft meow before bolting into Vicki's room. Harry laughed and leaned back against the wall.

* * *

The robed man strode down the streets flanked by other cloaks men. The man searched for the trace of magic he knew was around here somewhere. His Death Eaters had told him Potter was around this area. Without the boy's stupid friends or Dumbledore, he would be easy prey.

* * *

Harry's lion form surged forward. His green eyes were blazing in anger. He sensed Voldemort and saying he was a little ticked would be the understatement of the year. Fury coursed through him as the others struggled to keep up with the lion but the pissed off cat was not going to sit around and wait for them to catch up.

_'Calm down!'_ Maggie's raven form cawed. She flew alongside the lion, her wingtips brushing his shoulders.

_'No! he is here and is going to kill people if we don't do something!'_

_'You have to stop running so fast if you want us to help.'_ CJ stated, panting as he fought to keep his pace. His dog form was not nearly as fast as Vicki's panther or Harry's lion but he was persistant that he was strong enough to keep his mad run.

_'You'll just get hurt! I can handle this!_'

Harry was stopped when a black streak pushed past him and Vicki stood snarling in front of him. Her golden eyes glinted in anger.

_'Stop being so stupid! Get your head out of your ass and listen to us! We have been fighting things worse than humans for centuries. We can handle this guy.'_ the panther said. Her tail flicked and she turned, going back to the direction they were heading in.

Harry bowed his head. Now he felt like he was an inch tall. Mumbling an apology, he lead the way.

* * *

Me: That is chapter three and please review cause it is nice to know that people care enough to spend a minute to tell me what they think. 


	4. Chapter 4

Me: Ello my people!

VampGirl: Too…Hot.

CJ: Seriously it is too hot or too cold with you two.

Me: You can't tell me this heat is not getting to you.

VampGirl: Yeah. I mean you're the pansy of the group.

CJ: If I could unstuck my self from this chair, I would get you so bad.

Fred:_Put me back together  
Or separate the skin from bone  
Leave me all the Pieces, then you can leave me  
alone  
Tell me the reality is better than the dream  
But I found out the hard way,  
Nothing is what it seems!_

_(Duality-Slipknot)_

Disclaimer: I really don't own you know. So this is really pointless.

Saying of the Day: I prefer tack over honesty. Now tell me I'm beautiful

* * *

One of the men in the black cloaks and bone white masks approached the furious Dark Lord.

"My Lord. I have an idea that will surely take Potter out of hiding." the man said.

"What is it Malfoy?"

The man leaned in and whispered his plan into his master's ear. The crimson eyed man smirked before signaling his death eaters to aparate back to England.

A few blocks away, a large tawny lion stopped dead in his tracks, roaring in anger.

_'He's gone! I lost him.'_ Harry growled. The panther smirked, sitting on her haunches and letting the raven perch on her head.

_'Serves you right for dragging us out in the middle of the night.'_ Vicki snorted. CJ dropped beside the cat, panting heavily.

_'Less talk more sleep.'_ the dog complained. Maggie cawed in amusement. She fluttered her wings and dropped to the lab's head.

_'You had to be the slow poke. You're a dog and I am but a simple bird. Toughen up Dogbreath.'_

CJ gave a deep throated bark before snapping at the bird. Laughing, Maggie perched herself on a tree branch before proceeding to preen her feathers.

Harry had to roll his emerald eyes at the two. So different yet both had the same goal. His goal too now, he guessed. But he still had to defeat Voldemort. Would these new powers help him or hurt him?

* * *

A few days later, the four Protectors were happily lounging in Maggie's backyard. The weather was perfect. The sun wasn't too bearing but the breeze didn't chill their bones. Harry had donned a dark grey sweatshirt with the sleeves rolled up so he didn't overheat. His trainers were propped up on CJ's chair arm. He closed his eyes before a familiar hoot made him sit up in shock.

Hedwig, a bit worse for wear, but she was there, spiraling down to land beside him. She fluffed her feather and let her tongue hang out in a bird pant. Harry ran his hands over her body before he noticed a letter attached to her leg. He undid the roughly tied parchment and slowly opened it. He recognized Hermione's handwriting barely. It was roughly written as if she had been in a hurry.

_Harry,_

_I hope that this reaches you in time, if at all. I don't know where you are but I pray to whatever god may be listening that Hedwig can find you. Here is why I contacted you. Voldemort has taken over Hogwarts. I don't know if Dumbledore is dead or what but we need you here.  
_

_I hope that you know that we all love you and that if you can't make it, we don't blame you. I know you can't be everywhere at once, but please come. We all need you. Not just as The-Boy-Who-Lived but as a friend._

_Love,_

_Hermione._

Harry set down the letter, his hands shaking. He would never make it in time. Vicki pulled the letter out of his hands, reading it over quickly. She looked at him, blue-grey eyes swirling in distress.

"We're going now." she said, her voice firm. Maggie and CJ gave odd nods, not knowing what they were getting into.

"Won't your parents worry?"

"They aren't real. We made our 'parents' to look like the ones who were killed. They will just disappear if we stop feeding them our magic" Maggie explained. She stood.

"We'll never get there in time to stop him." Harry said, head in hands.

"You doubt us that much, Harry? We are frigin near immortal creatures with powers unknown to all but our own. You think that a little thing such as an ocean and thousands of miles will stop us when we have a mission?" CJ laughed.

Maggie rolled her eyes before her body began rippling and expanding at alarming rates. What had been a human girl was now a bird roughly the size of a large elephant. She ducked her head and allowed her friends to climb on. Harry held on loosely to the sleek feathers. His grip tightened when it felt as if his stomach was being jerked.

The bird Maggie gave a shrill cry before giving a beat of her great wings. The world swam and Harry leaned forward, eyes clamped shut. Another violent jerk at his insides and he was sure this was death. Then nothing. He felt his body sliding and he caught himself before he fell.

The cool grass under his palms caused Harry to open his brilliant eyes and take in that he was at Hogwarts. A fierce snarled alerted him that his fellows were battling. He let the change come quick. The golden lion shook his mane, roaring. The death eaters not tangled in battle with the Protectors looked at him with fear in their eyes.

The lion leapt, landing on two men. One he knocked unconscious while the other wet himself. Harry growled, smacking the coward with his great paw. One death eater raised a shaky wand before an angry dog landed on him, a terrifying growl rumbling from his chest. CJ turned to him, teeth still bared.

_'Go. We can handle this.'_

Harry laughed, launching himself at another death eater.

'_And let you have all the fun? I think not CJ.'_

The dog barked his amusement. Harry turned to attack another, but there was no one. He smirked in satisfaction.

_"Who wants to go kick some dark lord ass?'_ He asked his companions. They laughed, joining him at the doorway, where he placed his giant paws on the doors and pushed.

They creaked open and the animals crept in.

_'I'll go scout. Stay here.'_ Maggie said before flaying off, close to the celing and the shadows. It was not long before her voice trickled to them. _'All the student, I'm guessing, are in the hall with the weird celing. I'm thinking the guy with the cool eyes in the big chair is our guy. Those death eaters are all over the place. You will need cover if you want to get in.'_

Vicki stepped forward. Her eyes flashed as she gave a throaty growl. _'No problem._' The cat's form stretched and darkened. Harry had a feeling they were now invisible. _'Stay close together or I can't shield you. I may be talented, but I ain't that good.'_

Harry nodded and took a step forward. His eyes searched the shadows with intensified senses. He saw and snelt no one. Voldemort's getting bad, Harry thought, Only a few gurds at the front door, unless he wants me to get in, a trap. He knew he was walking into Voldemort's plans but he had to save his friends. A rustle of feathers and Maggie sat on his back.

_'Ready?'_ she asked.

_'Nope. Beggars can't be choosers. My friends need help and we're the rescue team.'_ Harry said, drily. Maggie laughed before launching into the air again.

The place where Harry had once eaten all his meals at school and hung out with his friend, was unrecognizable. Dirty, shaking, wide-eyed and cowering children huddled against each other and tried to go through the walls in attempts to go away from the terror they were facing. All that is, except that Slytherins who were clearly little death eaters. They stood proudly beside their elders and master. Harry searched for and found the teachers, bound and placed in a tight circle quite near the Dark Lord.

Maggie, cawing, soared across the room and landed above Voldemort. The man watched her with annoyance in his red eyes.

"Who let that blasted bird inside?" he asked his loyal death eaters. His followers shrugged. "Forget it. Ravens are a sign of dark magic anyway."

Maggie cried out in protest, taking off to perch on a small girl's shoulder. She clacked her beak at the man before proceeding to preen her feathers.

Voldemort scowled at the bird before turning to the blonde man beside him. "You had better hope that Potter gets here soon. It will mean punishment if he doesn't."

Harry turned to CJ, who nodded. It was time to reveal they were here. He shifted back to his human form. The black cloak whispered against the floor as he took a step forward.

"But I am here, Tom." he called out. The man leapt to his feet, eyes searching for his enemy. Vicki solidified and let the group be seen. Instead of turning human, she stood as the sleek panther. Maggie landed on his left shoulder. CJ pressed against his right leg. He took another step forward.

"Who are you?" Voldemort asked, wand at the ready.

_'He really thinks a wand will do any good when we have banded together?_'CJ laughed.

_'Shut up and look more pissed off.'_ Vicki snapped. Her fur stood on end and she let and low yowl rumble through her.

"Oh dear Tom, don't you recognize your beloved enemy?" Harry asked, slipping his mask from his face and letting his hood fall back. Voldemort snarled, stalking towards the boy. CJ and Vicki took a step forward, teeth and claws bared, fierce growls forcing the man back.

"So you have come, Potter. You always did play the hero. Now you will fall at my hands in front of all your precious friends."

"I think not, Voldemort. I have been a busy beaver while I have been away and I am stronger than I was when we last met."

Harry smirked before slowly changing into his lion form. Maggie took flight and used her talons to distract the man while her friend shape shifted. The panther and dog leapt, deadly teeth ready to tear into flesh.

Voldemort swung up his wand, hissing under his breath. A streak of green light hit both animals in their chests, sending them flying. They hit the floor with a thump and lay, motionless.

Harry cried, using their mental bond to try and call them. There was only an empty void where the two had once resided. He threw back his head and let a roar tear through him.

Maggie, knowing they could not mourn at the moment, cut off his grief. _'We can do things right later. We have a fight to win and people to save. Remember what you know of us. We are protectors of the innocent and punishers of the guilty. Your Dark Loard will not waste time to sit down, twidle his thumbs, and let you get over their deaths.'_

Harry bowed his head. She was right. He had a war to finish. He knew his friends were in danger and would die if he didn't fight. He looked up at Voldemort and leapt.

The man was ready and put his hands on both the lions jaws, keeping them from shutting. But he could not prevent the razor sharp claws from tearing down his front. Or the raven that dove and lunged for his eyes.

Voldemort, in all his pain, hit Maggie, sending her flying. She beat her wings, stopping her from hitting the wall with a bone-breaking crunch. She cried in anger before circling overhead, ready to help if needed.

The distraction was long enough for Harry to knock his enemy onto his back and trap him under raw, corded muscle. The loin looked down at the man he held prisoner. It seemed so anticlimactic after everything that had happened. But he had to do it. For CJ and Vicki and every other person whose death Voldemort had caused. He leaned down and closed his powerful jaws on Voldemort's throat.

Rich, warm blood flowed into his mouth and down his chin. He pulled his head up and stepped off the body. His emerald eyes darkened as he looked over to where he would find the bodies of his fellow Protectors. But they were not there. Only the human forms of CJ and Vicki sat, smiling like madmen.

Harry changed back, amazement and confusion clearly written on his face. "But how?"

"We warded ourselves a long time ago so that no human magic could kill us. You joining us strengthened that ward. So I guess you really did save the day, hero." Vicki laughed.

Maggie landed, scowling. Her icy eyes flashed. "You were pretending the whole time! I really thought you were dead, ward or no ward!"

Harry did not hear the rest of the conversation because the roar of the students swarming to him drowned out their voices. A flash of red hair and Ginny Weasley was on him, hugging him. He felt another embrace from behind and he looked to see Hermione. Soon he could not tell one person from the next. Ron weaved his way to him, clapping him on the back.

Through the crowd, Harry could see his four American friends, watching him with sad eyes.

_'We have to go Harry. It is not safe for Protectors to stay around magical folk for too long.'_ Maggie said through their minds. It was the first time they had done that in human form.

_'I know, but they are my friends.'_ Harry said in a small voice.

_'Then stay. You know where to find us if you want to come crawling back.'_ Vicki said, a bit harshly. Harry winced and weaved his way through the students swarming him.

"Let's go." he said aloud. His Protector friends gave him smiles and CJ gave a huge grin.

"Where are you ging Harry?" Hermione asked.

"I have to go. Goodbye."

Harry's change was quick. He and the others turned and ran-or flew in Maggie's case-out of the doors. The crowd of students followed, yelling form Harry to stop. He ignored them and felt for once in his life, freedom. He was not the blessed Boy-Who-Lived. He was just the same as the other Protectors. He let out a roar of farewell before fading away into the night.

* * *

Me: That is it people. The end of a story. Review and the such. I may write a sequel around September when I get back from vacation. I know it is a cliffhanger but this is the only ending I have ever liked so poop to all who hate it. Again REVIEW! 


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